May 11, 2003

MERCER, N.J. - The Rhode Island women's rowing team made the final in all three of varsity events to finish second at the ECAC Metro Championships on Sunday.

The Rams totaled 58 points, finishing behind Massachusetts (71), but ahead of Buffalo (55) and West Virginia (55).

The Rams' Varsity 8 boat finished second out of 10 teams in 6:56.42, just four seconds behind Massachusetts. Rhode Island's 2nd Varsity 8 boat finished fifth out of 10 teams in a time of 7:32 and the Varsity 4 boat took fourth in 8:19.94.

"We did really well, this was a pretty good finish to the season," Rhode Island coach Julia Chilicki Beasley said. "To beat teams like West Virginia, Buffalo and Delaware, it shows a huge improvement for us. Earlier in the season we would not do this well. We're moving up in the conference though. Now we just have to catch UMass."

The Varsity 8 boat included junior coxswain Lara Fritz, Megan Barnard, Marilyn Woodford, Meghan Skwirz, Anne Gramlich, Megan Leonard, Ruth Peterle, Kimberly Gaudette and Ynke DeKoe.

The 2nd Varsity 8 boat included senior coxswain Victoria Smith, Lindsay Beauregard, Sarah Porzig, Lane Conway, Erin Baxter, Kim Downes, Virginia Sorrell, Ryan Lindsay and Joy Memory.

The Varsity 4 boat consisted of coxswain Darlene Dorion, Vicie Masi, Stacy Pelletier, Elizabeth Matthews and Katie O'Brien.

The Novice 8 boat rowed in the petite finals, finishing 10th. That boat included coxswain Lisa Vilamil, Lori Sutton, Leah Ferguson, Kaylan Sliney, Caitlin McGrath, Erin O'Donnell, Jodi Tveitmoe, Shaina Louton and Kate McKeown.

Six seniors competed in their last race for the Rams. They were Skwirz and Gramlich in the Varsity 8 boat, Lindsay and Smith in the 2nd Varsity 8 and Masi in the Varsity 4.